John m



J. M. DEARBORN.

ANIMAL TRAP.

No. 74,998. Patented Mar. 3, 1868.

me mums Pneus oo. Primoumu.. wnwmawn. o. c.

JOHN M` DEARBORN, OFA BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters Patent No. 'ILLE-)98, dated March 3,l 1868.'

IMPROVED ANIMAL-TRAP.

dige rlgehnle nutren tain tlgtst Wetters tteut mrt mating-'aart nf tigt same.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.: l

VBe it known that I, JOHN M. DEARBORN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Animal-Trap; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,'and'exact description thereof,` which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved trap.

Figure 2 is a detail horizontal section'of the same, taken through the line x rp, fig. 1.

f Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

My invention'hasrfor its object to furnish a simple, cheap, and ell'cotive trap for catching rats and other animals;- and it consists in Ithe construction, combination', and arrangement ofthe various parts, as hereinafter more fully described.

vAmis the cover of the trap, which may be a box, barrel, or other reservoir, capable of holding water.v Through the cover A are formed two rectangular holes, of suitable size, referendo being had to 'the kind of animals to be caught. These holes should be in aline with eachother, and their eide and end edges should be bevelled offQth'e edges of the inner ends being bevelledvmore than the others, as shown in fig. 1. B are dropdoors, one end of which is pivoted or hinged in the out-er ends vof the holes in the cover A. The other or inner ends of the drop-doors B are so formed as to 1it. upon and overlapv thc bevelied edges of .the central part a ot' the cover A, as shown in figae 1. To the under side of each ofthe drop-doors B, n ear its`side edge, and a little infront of the hinge or piv.oting-point of" said d oornis securely and rigidly attaelhed a downwardly-projeetring arm, C, tol the lower end'of which`is attached one end of a. coiled-wire spring, D, the other end of' which is secured to the lower end of a downwardly-projecting arm, E, attached to the lower side of the cover A, in such a position that the springs D may be ont of' 4the way of the movement of the drop-doorsB To the upper side,

of the cover A, at the side edges of thereetangular holes formed through said cover, are securely attached the lower edges of thevertical boards or plates F, in such positions that the said lower edges of the said boards may project alittle over the edges of the 'said holes.- Gr are glass plates, the side edges of which enter grooves in the inner sides of the boards E, n ear their ends, as shown in iigs. 1 and 2, thus forming a chamber or compartment over each of the drop-doors B. The outer part of the top of the chambers formed4 by the boards or plates F and glass plates G, is covered with a board or plate, I Lleaving the inner parts of said tops open for the ingress of the animals, said openings being made larger or smaller, according to the'size of animal trapped for. The sides and top ofthe space between the inner glassplates G arecovered with metallic. gauze or a tine grating, I, to form a bait or decoy-chamber, the gauze I that covers the top beiiighinged at one end, and secured with a hook at the other end, for convenience in putting in and taking out the hait. The ysprings Dy should have onlyr suiicient strength to bring the drop-doors B back to athorizontal position after being depressed, and hold them there until again depressedby another'a-nimal jumping upon them. Several holes should be formed through the lower parts of the' arm C, so thatthe springs D may be adjusted to have agreater or less leverage, as may be desired. Jis a button attached to the lower `side of the central part a' of the 'cover A, between the endsof the doors B, as shown in fig. 1, and whiehshould he or" such a length as to support', when turned, the inner ends .of both of said doors. If desired, only onedrop-door need be made. In this case the gauze I- may be extended over the space occupied by the other door; orV the decoy-chamber may be made of the same size as when two drop-doors are used.

In using the trap, the button J should be turned so as to support the inner end or ends of the door or doors B. Some substance acceptable to the animals should then behplaced upon the doors B, and the animals allowed to enter, eat it, and retire. After the anima-ls have become suiliciently familiar with the trap to no longer fear it, thebutton J is turned back, releasing the door or doors B. Some hait that will attract the rats is then placed Within the decoy-chamber, and some bait 'that will ntslip oil' the doors B when depressed, is placed upon' said doors B. Then, as the animal jumps down uponl the doors B, through the openings at the top, thedoors are depressed, and the animal drops down into the water in the barrel,fhox, or reservoir beneath, the springs D immediately bringing the said doorsback'again to la. horizontal position, ready for the next animal.

I claim as-new, and desire to secure by Letters Patentl The'combination of the side-boards or plates'F, glass end-plates G, covering-plates H, gauze or fine grating dI, pivoted or hinged drop-door or doors B, arms C, coiled springs D, and arms E, with each other andl with the cover A, substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose set forth.

' l JOHN M. DEARBORN.

Witnesses:

AJD. PARKER, JOHN J. LOUD. 

